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The UK jobs market is unlikely to get any better this year - public sector jobs are falling and private sector posts are barely growing.

The figures come from employment agency Manpower which found a one per cent balance between employers likely to hire and those not likely to hire more staff this year. The public sector balance was -2 per cent.

Mark Cahill, Managing Director at Manpower UK, said: "Public sector hiring intentions are expected to plummet, and there is increasing pressure on the private sector to lead the country back to pre-recession growth, which points to a depressed Q1 2011."

The company, which spoke to 2,100 companies and organisations across the country, also found an increase between best and worst performing industries and regions. So East Anglia has a postive rating of 13 per cent - the number of employers planning to hire staff minus the number planning to reduce staff.

By comparison the West Midlands balance was -9 per cent and London is -3 per cent.

For jobseekers the company said continued training was the best bet to improve employment prospects, alongside work experience whether paid or unpaid.

A survey from CWjobs yesterday found similar advice for recent IT graduates struggling to find work. The jobs site surveyed 1,300 IT pros and found 56 per cent of them recommended unpaid work experience to recent graduates as the best way to improve employment chances.

Just over half, 52 per cent, said web development was still a growing market with Java and SQL both central skills for jobseekers. ®